Both cities are fast becoming hugely popular tourist destinations. But where is better for a vacation, Dubai or Doha?
Dubai is the better location for a holiday, but Doha is still a fantastic place to visit and offers a cheaper alternative.
Below we take a look at Hotels, Flights, Things to do and Culture to show you why Dubai is a better vacation than Doha. However, we’d still recommend visiting Doha for a holiday and below you will see why it isn’t too far behind Dubai!
Hotels in Dubai vs Hotels in Doha
For our hotel comparison, we decided to look on Tripadvisor for how much it would cost 2 adults to stay at top rated hotels per night for both Dubai and Doha. We will also look at how this varies depending on the star rating and how the facilities compare.
The top ranking 3 star hotel for Dubai is the Rove Trade Centre which will cost on average £48 per night (240AED). The hotel is located comfortably within the city and has various restaurants within walking distance. The rooms feature refrigerators, a flat screen TV, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel’s facilities include an outdoor pool, a gym, and a bar.
The top ranking 3 star hotel in Doha is the Zubarah Boutique Hotel which will cost approximately £60 per night (300AED). The hotel is also quite central in the city and is in walking distance to various restaurants and bars. The rooms feature a minibar and a flat screen TV. The hotel’s facilities include a gym, a spa, and a restaurant.
The top ranking 4 star hotel in Dubai is the Studio One Hotel Dubai which will cost on average £64 per night (320AED). The hotel is situated near the Dubai Sports City and is in very close walking distance to various restaurants. The rooms have a flat screen TV, a minibar, and a safe. The hotel’s facilities include a pool, a salon, a gym, and a bar.
The top ranking 4 star hotel in Doha is Crowne Plaza Doha – The Business Park which will cost approximately £92 per night (460AED). The hotel is central to the city and in walking distance to various attractions and restaurants. The rooms feature a walk in shower, flat screen TV, a desk, and minibar. The hotel’s facilities include an outdoor pool, a gym, a spa, and various bars.
The top ranking 5 star hotel for Dubai is Raffles Dubai which will cost on average £228 per night (1,140AED). The hotel is located comfortably within the city and has various attractions within walking distance. The rooms feature private balconies, walk in showers and a bath, a minibar, and working desk. The hotel’s facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, various bars, and a spa.
The top ranking 5 star hotel in Doha is W Doha which will cost approximately £179 per night (895AED). The hotel is also quite central to various restaurants and attractions such as the City Centre Mall. The rooms feature walk in showers and a bath, a flat screen TV, and a desk. The hotel’s facilities include an outdoor pool, a gym, a spa, and poolside bar.
We’d say Doha probably has the best deal if you are looking for a 4 star hotel. However, on all of the other options and if you are looking for a luxury holiday with lots of entertainment, Dubai is better.
How Do The Flights Compare?
For flights, we took a look at how much it will cost for a return and also how long the travel time is.
On average a return flight to Dubai from London will cost £361 (1,805AED). Travel times will take approximately 9h 50m as a direct flight. From Glasgow, a return flight would cost approximately £408 (2,040AED) and will take roughly 9h 20m as a direct flight. From Manchester, a return flight will cost on average £405 (2,025AED) and will take approximately 9h 25m direct.
On average a return flight to Doha from London will cost £413 (2,065AED). It will take approximately 6h 45m as a direct flight. From Glasgow, a return flight would cost approximately £522 (2,610AED) and will take on average 9h 25m, but not as a direct flight. From Manchester, a return flight would cost on average £432 (2,160AED) and would take roughly 6h 50m as a direct flight.
Even though the Dubai flights are longer, the flights are more likely to be direct and have consistent times for various airports compared to Doha.
Check out our blog post on how much the Cheapest Direct Flight to Dubai is for more information.
Dubai or Doha for Things to Do
Both cities offer very different types of attractions with Dubai leaning towards extravagant landmarks and breath-taking sights, whilst Doha offers a lot more traditional attractions.
Dubai‘s key attraction is of course the renowned Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. It stands at a whopping 828 metres tall and has since become a must-see attraction.
Dubai also offers innovative and stunning places to visit such as the illuminated Global Village and the creative Miracle Garden. As well as this, there is the Dubai Fountain along with its dynamic and exciting light shows to make for a spectacular evening! Dubai offers a wide range of things for tourists to do and can appeal to all sorts of different interests.
Read this for our Top 10 Things to do in Dubai.
Doha offers more traditional attractions relating to Qatar’s culture. However, one of Doha’s most famous attractions is The Pearl Monument which pays homage to Qatar’s history in the pearling industry.
Doha also features more cultural activities such as the popular Museum of Islamic Art which features a range of art formats and dates back to pieces from the 7th century. Doha is also home to the National Museum of Qatar which also dives into Qatar’s history and heritage. A popular tourist destination is Souq Waqif for the wide range of market stalls and featuring animal.
Each city offers a completely different experience, whereas Dubai leans more to ground-breaking and modern activities, whereas Doha is very much centred on Qatar’s heritage.
Dubai Culture vs Doha Culture
As mentioned previously, culture plays a big role in Doha, but this is also the case in Dubai.
There are more traditional Arabian locations to visit in Dubai, notably the various souks which are well known for selling gold and spices. The various stores sell all sorts of gold and silver jewellery which often feature complex Arabian designs. One of Dubai’s most popular markets is the Souk Madinat which is renowned for its mixture of traditional stores selling products such as souvenirs, and modern dining.
Yet if you visit other areas of Dubai, you will find the luxurious modern lifestyle we associate with the city today. Whether that be on The Palm islands or as you ascend the Burj Khalifa, you are bound to be surrounded by modern innovation across the city.
Doha‘s citylife has a far more traditional Islamic culture which can be seen in the previously mentioned museums and souks. However, Doha does blend its Arabian culture with modern design. This can be seen at locations such as the Katara Cultural Village which has a blend of the modern theatres and entertainment with the traditional architecture.
Both cities have their share of embracing their rich heritage, but Dubai certainly combines this with its luxurious modern reputation. Doha does feature some modern skyscraper architecture as well as attractions and entertainment, but it heavily features its conventional Arab design too.
Conclusion
Dubai and Doha have something different to offer tourists. Doha is a great location if your are particularly interested in experiencing the city’s heritage through museums and architecture. It is also a cheaper alternative to visiting Dubai.
However, Dubai offers a wider range of entertainment and tourist attractions whilst combining its Arab background and modern lifestyle, which in our eyes makes Dubai just about the best vacation.
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